Kanathil Jameela, the MLA of Koyilandy, passed away on the night of November 29. The CPI(M) confirmed that her mortal remains are kept at a private hospital in Kozhikode, where she had been treated. The family is waiting for her son, Ayreej Kanathil, who is in the United States. On Tuesday morning, the body will be taken to the Kozhikode CPI(M) office, then to Koyilandy Town Hall and Thalakkulathur for public respects. By evening, it will be moved to her home in Thalakkulathur. The final rites will take place at the burial ground of Atholi Kuniyilkkadavu Juma Masjid. Tributes are pouring in from people across the region. Residents of Thalakkulathur remembered her dedication, especially when she led a sit-in at the Water Resources department to secure drinking water for tribal communities before Onam. She served as president of the Thalakkulathur Grama Panchayat in 1995 and led welfare programs between 2000 and 2005 during the important People’s Plan campaign. Jameela also served as president of the Chelannur Block Panchayat (2005-2010) and Kozhikode District Panchayat (2010-2015, and again in 2020). She launched ‘Snehasparsham’ to support kidney patients financially. After winning the assembly polls from Koyilandy in 2021, she resigned from the district panchayat presidency. Despite cancer diagnosis six months ago, she stayed connected with her constituents online during treatment. Her leadership in local bodies and commitment to people’s welfare is widely appreciated as tributes keep coming in.